I’ve had more trouble switching to an ergonomic keyboard layout than needed, because it required some research to figure out that the layout was part of an extras file determined by the xkeyboard-config project, which is not available by default in GNOME Settings, and that I either need to start using the terminal again or install GNOME Tweaks or a non-experimental third party app like Tuner.
There is generally not a lot of content in that extra application. For what it’s worth, I think it’s a better move to hide those extra “tweaks” in an “advanced settings” tab in their respective settings category.
I don’t think this is anything urgent, but Linux desktops are starting to show up in certain workplaces, and some jobs require enough typing that qwerty-like layouts won’t do it - for example. Simply enabling an existing keyboard-layout setting instead of asking to install a new application or use the terminal would definitely be less of a bureaucratic adventure in a situation like that. At least I feel like it could be more bothersome.
This suggestion was already brought up a lot.
The answer remains the same:
The options that can be found in Tweaks or Refine or similar apps are not supported by GNOME.
Adding these to the official settings, even as “advanced options” means supporting these options, having to maintain the code behind the options, etc…
For those who wish to experiment with these officially unsupported options apps like Tweaks and Refine exists. Users can use them knowing they are not official settings.
Bringing an option from Tweaks to the official settings has happened. But it was always with considerations, such as:
What is the use-case for this setting?
Could this be resolved by better defaults?
How to design the setting, what options to give.
Who will maintain the code for that setting.
In the case you mentioned, changing the keyboard layout to a nonstandard one, instead of saying “Why not put make Tweaks settings official”, the better question would be: “Are there use-cases where the current existing keyboard settings could be improved that benefit all users, and how could that be improvement be designed?”
Sadly keyboard layout can’t really be touched. E.g. I switched left alt to left win and rebinded caps lock to control, but making those default for everyone is just not in the game.
In case of xkeyboard options I think it’s less of a support thing (because they are currently supported) and more of “are they worthwhile enough to warrant their own place in settings”
So I am getting that it would be less of a moonshot to address that the GNOME project should support a way to access every technically available keyboard layout. I haven’t personally found that this made the selection process more tedious for the German side at least. I’m thinking it would just be a nice thing to have if I ever needed to touch GNOME on a workplace machine.